Emergency shut-off for gas-holders.



R. M. DIXON. EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF FOR GAS HOLDERS.

IAPPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES:

@KZTI';

Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

R. M. DIXON. EMERGENCY SHUT-OFF ron GAS HOLDERS. APPLIOATIQH FILED AUG. 7, 1907. 978,86 1 Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

6m Hi firmer/Er INVENTOR 4r" WITNESSES.

' Emergency Shut-Oil's 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE:

ROBERT M. DIXON, or EAST omnsn, NEW JEnsEY,

ASSIGNOR T0 SAFETY CAR HEAT- me & LIGHTING COMPANY, A oonromrron or NEW JERSEY.

EMEEGENGY SHUT-OFF on .eAs-noLnEns- Specification of Letters Patent. t t 2 1910 Application filedAugust 7, 1907. Serial No. 387,463.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT M. DIXON, residing at East Orange, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in for Gas-Holders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. I This invention relates to gas sup 1y systems but is more especially directe lighting systems employed in connection with railway cars or like structures.

One of the objects of the invention is to reduce to a minimum the danger of fire originating from gas lighting systems or the propagation of fire therefrom in the event of railway accidents or in caseof an accidental breakage in the distributing pipes of the gas lighting systems in railway cars.

Another object of the invention is to provide means in a gaslighting apparatus of the above character whereby communication may be quickly and efiectively closed between the source of supply and the gas distributing pipes.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in a gas lighting system of the above character for automatically allow-- ing'the gas to escape from the supply tanks which are usually placed'underneath 'railway cars in the event of the cars taking fire, the heat generated from which might otherwise cause the tank to explode.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The'invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will" be exemplified in the construction herein- .after set forth and the scope of the application of which ing claims.

In the accompanying drawings wherein I have illustratedone of the preferred embodiments. of my invention, Figure 1 is a view thereof in section showing aportion of a gas supply tank. Fig. 2 is a similar view on a larger scale taken through the gas supply conduit showing the shut off valve in normal position. Fig. 3 is an elevational will be indicated in the followview of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4

is an end elevation-of the supply conduit and valvemechanism.

to gas lar parts throughout the .severalviews of the drawings. 7

. Referring now to the drawings shows an end portion of a gas supply tank adapted to, be suspended beneath the floor of a railway 'car' or like structure and is adapted for furnishing a sup ly of illuminating gas to the lamps or ot er gas utilizing devices located within a car. In the present instance the gas asses from tank 1 through a conduit 2 whic conducts the gas through a fitting. 3 to .the distributing conduits 4, the latter conducting the gas to the lamps within the car as will be understood.

Fig. 1

Owing to the danger of fire occurrin as in the event ofrailway accidents w ich sometimes cause a breakage of the distributing pipes within the car, I have provided neans whereby the vflow of gas may be quickly shut off from said distributing pipes, thus reducing to a minimum the liability of the flames being fed by as es,- caping from said pipes or other gas xtures in case of breakage or other disarrangement from any cause whatever. In order to attain this object in the present instance, I provide a valve seat ,5 interiorly of conduit- 2, said valve seat in the present instance being tapered as shown. Cooperating with this seat is .a correspondingly tapered plug valve 6 the stem 7 of which extendsthrough aca p piece 8 threaded .ex-

teriorly of fitting 3. Valve stem 7 is pro-- vided with an integral, circular raised portion 9 adapted to be guided interiorly of fitting 3, the arrangement of the parts being such that a blow directed against stem 7 will cause valve 6 to beprojected inwardly against its seat thus closing the flow of gas from supply conduit- 2 to the distributing pipes 4. Valie 6 also operates to close the passageway through the distributing pipes 4 and thus prevents escape of gas therethrough should other supply tanks be connected in series with the distributing pipes.

Conduit 2 in the present instance is comprised of a pair of sections 9 and 10, section 9' comprising a nipple threaded into the supply tank and exteriorly threaded at 11 to receive clamp collar 12. Section 10 is. in the present instance, a part of fitting 3 and its opposite end is threaded at 13 to receive a clamp collar 14. Section 10 has a teat 15 entering section 9 which is -is clamped between the sections of conduit 2 by means of clamp screws 18 extended between collars 12 and 14. In the present instance collar 17 is shown as being provided with a plurality of annular projections which extend into correspondingly formed depressions in the end of sections 9' and 10 of conduit 2. such construction better insur ing against leakage of g'as.

Having thus described the structural features constituting my invention, the operation thereof which should to a large extent be obvious is substantially as follows: The normal position of valve 6 is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings'in which position a free and uninterrupted flow of gas may take place between the supply conduit and the distributing pipes. In the event however of a breakage of the pipes which constitute the lighting system within the .car valve 7 may be quickly forced against its seat and the supply of gas cut ofi by a blow directed against the end of stem 7. Should the car for any reason take fire the heat generated thereby might cause an abnormal pressure in the gas supply tank,but in this event the heat would cause collar 17 to be fused thus allowing the gas to escape through openings 16 between sections 9 and 10 of conduit 2 directly to the atmosphere beneath the car.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided an apparatus well adapted to attain, among others, all the ends and objects above enumerated in an exceedingly simple yet efiicient manner, by means of which the supply of gas may be instantl cut oil from the distributing pipes of rai way cars without the necessity of manipulating screw operated valves, it being merely necessary for a by-stander or other person to grasp any object that may be on hand and direct a blow against the stem of the shut off valve. i

In practice the exterior portion of the stem will be squared or otherwise shaped to receive a turning instrument, as shown, so that the same may be readily opened by merely oscillating the same backward and forward whereby the pressure of the gas will force the same from its. 'seat.. By rea-' son of the provision of the fusible collar between the sections of the distributing conduit. in the event of the occurrence of heat conditions such as would have a tendency to cause the supply tank to. explode the pressure will be automatically relieved.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently -widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a gas lighting system, in combine-- tion, a pressure supply tank, a gas supply said conduit for closing same ada ted to be closed by external pressure 'exerte in a direction parallel to the axis thereof.

2. In a gas lighting system, in combination, a pressure supply-tank, a supply conduit leading therefrom, a straight-thrust valve in said conduit adapted to control the passage of as from said supply tank, and a stem ext-en ing from said valve in all positions thereof .exteriorly of said conduit and adapted to receive a thrust in a direction parallel to its axis, whereby said valve will be forced against its seat.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a'pre'ssure supply tank, a gas supply conduit leading therefrom, one or more as distributing conduits cominhnicating with said supply conduit, a valve seat formed in said su ply conduit, a straight thrust plug valve or cooperating with said valve seat, and a stem extending from said valve in all positions thereof without said conduit and adapted to be engaged from a position exterior t-hereto, whereby said valve may be forced against its seat.

4. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with the gas supply tank and distributing conduits, a sectional conduit connecting said tank with said distributin conduits, and a section'- of fusible materia clamped between the sections of said conduit, said fusible section constituting a section of said conduit.

combination with the source of gas supply and distributing conduits, a sectional conduit connecting said source of supply with said distributing conduit, means fOIJIlfiIlllally closing the flow of gas from said c'onduit to the distributing conduit, and automatically operated means clamped between the sections of said conduit for allowing the gas to escape. laterally from said conduit to the atmosp ere.

6. In apparatus of the class described,'in combination,"'a gas supply tank, a sectional conduit leading therefrom, the sections of which are clamped together, a fusible collar interposed between the sections of said conduit and forming a portionxof said conduit,

be interpreted as illustrative and not in a conduit leading therefro1n,and a valve in- 5. In apparatus of the class described, in-

distributing pipes leading "from said conduit, and a valve for closin i the flow of gas from said conduit to said distributing pipes.

T. In apparatus of the class described, in con'ibination, a gas supply tank, a gas suppl conduit leading'therefroin, said gas supply conduit being comprised by a plurality of sections clamped together with a ring of fusible material clamped therebetween, one or more distributing pipes leading from said supply conduit, a valve seatformed in said supply conduit, and a straight thrust plug valvecooperating with said seat to shut off the supply of gas from said distributing pipes, and capable of manipulation from a position exterior to said conduit.

8. In apparatus of the class described, in combination, a pressure supply tank, a gas supply conduit-leading therefrom, a valve seat formed within said conduit, a straightthrust valve located within said conduit and cooperating with said valve seat to shut off the flow of gas through said conduit, and a stem extending from said valve in all positions thereof exteriorly of said conduit, said stem having a raised portion which cooperates with said conduit to guide said valve to its seat when said 'aised portion moves toward said seat. 4

9. In apparatus of the classdescribed, in combination, a gas supply tank, a fitting connected to said tank, a second fitting clamped to said first fitting and having a' perforate teat projecting thereinto, and a fusible member clamped between said sections and adapted normally .to close said perforations.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature, in the presence of two Witnesses.

ROBERT M. DIXON. \Vitnesses G. R. JEWETT, E. E. ALLBEE. 

